Fate and Freewill
by Patchi-Dog
Summary: Metamorphosis: "A change of the form or nature of a thing or person into a completely different one, by natural or supernatural means." A change by nature or supernatural means, which is more correct I don't know. All I know now is that everything I once knew and how I once perceived the world and everything beyond it will never be the same again.
1. Chapter 1

One thing should be said before you continue reading! _This story is set in the future and focuses on a 2nd generation character_ , she's the main character but you will see a lot of the canon characters, don't worry. Sorry if this is a little confusing at first but it'll all make sense later!

I'm surprised I'm uploading this, I'm usually super self conscious about my stories and keep them to myself but I felt the random need to share this. So here?

* * *

 _ **C** **hapter** **O** **ne:**_

 _My Unknown Illness_

 _I felt gross_ … _horrible_. I was burning up and my head was killing me. Sometimes depending on how I was laying I couldn't get air into my lungs. I choked a few times waking up, my body jolting me awake so I could move and breathe properly. My mother would check on me every hour, she would bring water and sometimes a snack; it was usually a candy of some kind…even though my dad would come in later to replace the treat with an apple or peach. He didn't like to tell mom directly to do anything, it usually started an argument and he was sort of a push over when it came to her too.

I clutched my stomach harshly, it felt as though my organs were rearranging themselves or going into some kind of remission. Mom said it was the flu though, probably the new strand of influenza going around. Something about stray dogs spreading it. I didn't pay too much attention to it; I wish I did now though…because this rightly sucked. I squeezed my eyes shut as tears lined my eyelids and fell around my cheeks and onto my pillow. My pillow was soaked with sweat already and I refused to cover with any blanket…my skin burned, as though it was on fire…another wave of pain surged through my intestines and up into my chest, I groaned deep in my throat in reaction before turning my head and screaming into my pillow. Pills didn't work, so far nothing did. I took Tylenol, Advil, Excedrin, and even some of my mom's Ambien so I could sleep through the night without waking up to excruciating pain in my stomach or head.

"How are you doing sweet pea?" my door slowly moved open to reveal my father as he tip-toed into my room. My father was tall—probably around six feet tall, giving an inch or two. His hair was a slick black and it fell loosely in front of his dull blue eyes. His hair snaked around his ears and curled around his chin, depending on how long it's been since he showered it would sometimes look particularly curly around the ends as well. It never past his shoulders though, he didn't necessarily like having to take care of his hair at all.

I just groaned in response, not having the energy to speak really. I curled in on myself further as he approached. He carried a cup of water but made no move to put it on my nightstand as I left the cup mom left completely untouched. Eating or drinking left me nauseous and in horrid pain, water did the most damage it seemed, it burned going down my throat and eating only seemed to intensify that feeling, especially if it was something crunchy. I shuddered at the thought. It's been a whole day since I ate and almost twelve hours since I drank anything.

"You gotta eat something Zoe," Dad nervously said. I shook my head vigorously before further turning myself to lie on my stomach. "Honey please, you haven't eaten anything, you'll get even sicker," he droned on and sat on the edge of my bed by my legs. I made gurgling noises into my pillow as if to protest against him somehow. I heard him sigh softly.

"I suppose I'll just get your mother again," he said in a somewhat louder voice. I tensed, but made no intention to move. My mother was a scary person; she could get her way with just one look or flick of her wrist. She's been nothing but nice since I got sick though so right now I felt I had nothing to fear from her. Father just sighed again but this time louder before he got up and walked out of the room. I didn't bother to move as I heard him and mom talk. She sounded angry.

* * *

"Please let me go back to bed," I squeaked as I sat with my knees brought up to chest. Mother had forcibly picked me up and taken me into the kitchen to eat. I didn't have much of a voice or energy to protest though so I just slumped against the chair.

"No, you need to eat," my mother replied harshly. I looked down at my food, it was chicken noodle soup. I sighed inwardly, what else did I expect, honestly? I squinted my eyes at the white colored ceramic bowl. I really didn't want to eat. Father had some leftover noodles and beef from last night while Mom had a small plate with crackers and sliced ham. She had probably eaten earlier. After eyeing my food I looked up at my parents, who sat across from me. Father was eating silently with a slow hand and Mom was just glaring at me. She probably thought if she looked away I'd get up and run for my room. Which I absolutely would do _if I had the energy_. But no, so I was stuck at the small dining table until my mom or dad carried me back to my room. My messy and unkempt hair was tied up into a very loose bun; I was instructed to tie it up when I was sat at the table. It was most likely in case I passed out or vomited. Since I had done both at least once in the past few days.

My mom watched me vigilantly; her narrowed amber eyes bore holes into me as I returned her almost challenging glare. I was told I could very well rival my mother's intimidating nature if I so chose but I often times couldn't pull it off because my conscious was much more prevalent than her's supposedly. My cousin tried to get me to do "the face" more than once to get through security at special events at the supercenter or when her dad, my uncle, banned her from a part of his main lab downtown. I really scared the guards there for some reason. My cousin was banned from the animal wing of her dad's lab for a whole year and a half because she let loose some lab mice, rats, monkeys, and cats. It cost my uncle two years of research. She was actually supposed to be banned for two years but my uncle caved after a year and a half. He was even more of a push over than my dad.

"Zoe. Eat." Mother sternly said, breaking the silence that shrouded the room. I just continued to glare, not making any move to touch my bowl. I was at an inner war with myself; every cell in my body begged me not to eat, even my stomach who seemed to be shut off right now. But I know if I didn't eat, my mom would hold me down and force the soup down my throat. She hasn't had to do it yet, but I wouldn't at all put it past her.

I suddenly felt like all the air from my lungs was coercively sucked out and my head dipped forward before I jerked it upright again. My eyes drooped before my head dipped again. I was overcome with exhaustion as my body unexpectedly felt weightless. My head just narrowly missed my bowl of soup as I face planted almost brutally.

The last thing I remember was my mother's startled gasp and my father standing up so quickly his chair tumbled over. I woke up to darkness and unfamiliarity, I heard hush voices in the distance. One voice I almost recognized while the other was deep and hoarse and one I didn't know. I slowly opened my eyes to see a blood red ceiling, I couldn't move, and my eyes stayed trained on the deepening color of the ceiling. I heard footsteps, and the voices I heard previous had echoed into nothing. I felt cold, and oddly enough, wet. I wondered if I was in a tub of shallow water or if I was bleeding out onto the surface I was lying on.

"Child…" I heard the hoarse voice call out threateningly. I saw a gloved hand enter my vision; it held a long silver syringe that contained a pinkish liquid. It glinted in a bright white light that shown from somewhere outside my line of sight. "This will hurt only for a moment, hold your breath…" the voice spoke softly, in a somewhat unsure tone of voice. They sounded like they were defeated and taken-aback at the same time. My vision blurred as they lowered the syringe toward what I could only assume was my arm. From the darkness around me and the blinding light that didn't seem to dissipate the surrounding dark I could make out a figure, and they held the syringe out toward me. I couldn't make out who it was…I thought at first it was my Uncle, but the voice was too hoarse and the figure stood just too short. As they stepped into the light my vision got worse, I could make out a long white coat and a red shirt before I blacked out.

I groggily opened my eyes to see my room's ceiling. My rounded light shade with the skull shaped screw in the center. The room was dark; the only light was flooding in from my door that was half open. My body ached and I could feel my damp bed sheets beneath my body, my shirt was pulled up to my chest and I wore no bra. I groaned loudly as a wave of searing pain racked through my lower back, ribs, and stomach. I suddenly noticed something in my mouth; I would've noticed it earlier if it wasn't for the hair pulling pain in the majority of my body. I thought it was a pill but I was quick to think my parents weren't that dumb to leave a pill in their sick daughter's mouth while she slept. I slowly sat up as I swished the object around in my mouth; I tasted blood as well, which was odd. I brought my hand to my mouth and lightly spit it out.

It was a tooth. A fully developed adult tooth. I gaped at it for what felt like an hour before the pain registered, my gums swelled with unmeasurable pain. It felt like the roots of my teeth were being leisurely melted with acid. I sputtered unintelligent gibberish as I held my mouth in my hands. I quickly began to sob as the pain increased and another tooth fell out. I gasped through my sobbing and spit out the second tooth. Blood flooded the bottom of my mouth and trickled down my chin and onto my bare belly. I grasped my face harshly in a vain attempt to stop whatever was happening. What was happening? This couldn't be the flu? Unless it evolved to gross levels and were killing people with no problems at this point. I hadn't watched the news in over a month so I wouldn't put it past the new strand of influenza I suppose. The world was beyond screwed up at this point an epidemic like this might as well happen. But I just couldn't put the thought out of my head that this wasn't the flu…or any disease.

* * *

 _Two Weeks Ago_

* * *

"Mom! Where's my brush?" I shouted down the hall. I heard ruffling in my parent's room before my mom appeared walking toward the bathroom I was in. She peered in the small room and quickly opened the drawer closest to me. Just two old toothbrushes and the plug to the sink. She made a scrunched up thinking face then looked around toward the shower behind me. My mom was short, probably 5'6 or 5'7, she was much shorter than my dad and she was often times confused for my sister rather than my mother and it pissed her off to no end. Her hair was short as well, it was in a bob cut and the ends curled around her face. It was a dark violet color, oddly enough it was her natural hair color, she explained to me her mother, my grandmother, had the same hair color though it wasn't her natural hair color — some science happened and she made it so it became her natural hair color? And when she had my mom it passed on? I'm not entirely sure. I don't quite remember, that's the gist I think. I remember hearing my grandmother was sterile as well and my grandfather helped them have kids using science. That's about all my grandfather talks about actually. My grandma isn't around anymore though; she actually died in a freak lab accident when my mom was three. That's about all I know really, my mom or really anyone else in my family doesn't really favor talking about it. Typical, I guess.

"Check the living room, I think your dad was using it to brush Piglet," she mumbled and turned back to walk down the hall. I grunted in annoyance and ran my fingers through my hair. Piglet was our dog by the way, my dad was a sucker for puppies and when he saw them being sold at the parking lot of our local Walmart he couldn't help but bring one home.

"Why?" I called after her bluntly. She stopped at the end of the hall.

"I dunno, ask him yourself," she replied just as bluntly as she strolled into the kitchen. I glared at where she was standing for a moment before swiveling back into the bathroom. I glanced in the mirror; my medium length hair was a mess in the morning, no matter how I slept. I yawned and just ran my fingernails through the bulk of my hair before I tied it up into a thick bun. I didn't care much about my appearance anyway. I was pale and riddled in tiny scars, my violet hair was thick and had split ends. Only real quality I really liked about myself was the fact my eyes were two different colors, one blue and one brown. I yawned again and then began to fix the collar of my jacket. I suddenly felt dizzy and swayed around before grabbing the counter. I looked into the mirror to see something stranger, a skin patch on my neck that looked lighter than the rest of my skin. When the wave of dizziness passed I studied the patch and curiously took off my jacket and lifted up my shirt to see the patch stretched from my neck to my navel. The patch was tender and felt like I had just shed skin there. I swallowed nervously and lowered my shirt. I'd worry about it later.

"Zoe! Let's go, you're gonna be late!" I heard my mom call from the kitchen. I quickly put back on my jacket and ran down the hall in compliance.

As the days past I noticed some, what you would consider weird things about my body. When I got dizzy my head felt like it was being blown up with hot air. The skin patch didn't get any bigger but some other smaller ones appeared on my arms and legs. My parents never noticed them thank the stars, or else I'd be main event at my uncle's lab. Poster child of the new strain of influenza. I shuddered at the thought. My mom never trusted other doctors, she only slightly trusted my uncle (her brother), and my grandfather (her dad). Big thing that began to bother me though, the skin patches appeared to change from a lighter tone of my natural skin color to an off shade of green. Then you know the rest, I became bedridden with horrible unrelenting body aches and pains. It traveled from my groin all the way to my head; it was like the pain from the flu but to the extreme. I kept telling myself, it's the flu. It's gotta be. But at this point everyone, even me was being to doubt that.

* * *

Sorry again if it's confusing! I had my friend proofread it and she told me it was a little so I gotta apologize.

So we meet Zoe; she's Gaz's daughter if it was at all hard to put together (though I don't think it was, but I still felt the need to say anyway). Yuu is her father, a character of mine, well more of a random character I made up to be her dad lol. I didn't put much thought into him besides his name and personality.

Thanks for reading if you did! I have another chapter written already and I'm currently working on the third. I'll upload the second one soon and if the story is well perceived I'll upload the third. :)


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two! Some more fun imagery for me to write in this one. Some exposition as well, since this story needed it I think.

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 _ **C** **hapter** **T** **wo:**_

 _Spilling My Guts_

"Something's horribly wrong…" I uttered and tried to will myself to stand up. I had to alert my mom…this has gone too far. The flu wouldn't cause my teeth to fall out! This…this has to be something else. My legs felt like pasta, I don't think I could stand on them correctly. Another wave hit me and I opened my mouth to scream but my breath got caught in my throat and only an airless hiss came out. I clutched my stomach in agony; I dropped my fallen teeth in between my knees as I tried to not pass out again. Something else then happened that I didn't expect, as I sat up and ground my teeth as the surge of pain shot through my body—I arched my back and felt what I assumed was bile come up into my mouth. Instead a stream of red decanted out onto my legs and sheets. To my horror I saw chunks of pink and red things mixed in with the blood. It had to be about six cups of it that came out of me. I just stared, my eyes wide with terror. I looked around, I couldn't walk and I couldn't talk very well so the only option to get attention was too…I slowly raised my arm and grabbed my bedside lamp and with all the strength I could muster I threw it to the ground. The base was porcelain so it shattered with a loud _crash_. The lampshade lopsided as it fell so the lightbulb hit the ground without interference and smashed making a loud _pop_. I shook intensely and waited impatiently for someone to come in.

Within seconds my mom came barreling in, she looked to the floor first then up at me. Her normally squinted or shut eyes slowly widened in absolute panic. She saw me sitting, shaking violently and covered in blood. She stood motionless for a moment before quickly making her way to me.

"Oh god, oh god Zoe…what the hell happened?" she sputtered and ran her hands over my arms and then cupped my face to look at me in the eyes. I looked up at her with half lidded eyes; I then bared my teeth at her to show the other physical injury I had. She flinched and used her thumbs to keep my lips pulled back. "You're teeth, Zoe! Oh god, what is…" she said. My father then came in, he didn't even notice the smashed lamp only me and my bloody mess. He stood frozen though, unsure of what to do.

"Call Dib, Yuu! Now!" my mom spun around and shouted at my dad. He rapidly nodded and ran into the other room. My mom then gathered me in her arms and hoisted me against her chest. "You're going to your Uncle Dib's, he'll know what to do…" she spoke seemingly to herself as I drifted in and out of conscious as the pain was threatening to knock me unconscious. I could make out my mom carrying me to the car and my dad talking to my Uncle. My Uncle's lab was an hour away…I only hoped I passed out so I didn't have to wait that long. Unfortunately, I didn't. The pain kept me awake and the fact I vomited more blood twice on the way there. I even barfed what my mom was sure was one of my kidneys. I laid curled in the back seat groaning and half-crying. My mom stroked my head lovingly as she angrily shouted at my dad to go faster. My uncle was waiting outside of his lab when we got there. He stood almost ominously on the stone walkway by the porch of the live-in section of his lab. His white lab coat swayed in the calm wind and his goggles shone only a bright glare from the full moon above. Beside him was my oldest cousin Ask, he stood looking half asleep but concerned at the same time. My aunt was there as well but she stood with my youngest cousin, Ethel, on the porch. She held sheets in her arms knowing for sure she'd need them. It started raining on the way here so I shuddered when my mom and I got out of the car. She held me close though, trying to shield me from the rain. I squeezed my eyes shut as my mom started sprinting toward the porch. The first thing my aunt did was fling the sheet she held over me and my mom helped wrap me up in it. Just before we went inside I jerked forward and vomited blood on the welcome mat, another only what I can assume is an organ of mine came with it. My aunt almost gagged as she stepped back. Ethel squeaked, trying to suppress a scream. My mom growled and rushed inside, our group was walking through my Uncle and Aunt's house to get to the actually lab part. My uncle walked up to match my mom's speed.

"When did this start happening?" he asked in an almost panicked tone.

"Tonight, I heard a crash and I rushed into her room about 2 in the morning," my mom replied bluntly.

"No, I mean, when did she start feeling sick?" he reiterated.

"It's been about a week,"

"A week?! Why didn't you tell me earlier Gaz?" he almost shouted.

"Because I thought it was the damn flu!" she shouted in return.

"It was only tonight that she started puking blood," my father spoke up as he walked behind the two siblings.

"Has she puked at all since she's been sick?" my uncle asked.

"Yes, quite a few times," my father answered.

"But no blood, at all?"

"No," both my parents replied. Not another word was spoken until we got to my Uncle's main sect of the lab. I was put onto a table and my uncle was quick to look over me.

"Can you talk Zoe?" he asked in a soft voice. I shook my head, it was as if my voice was gone, if I tried only a gravelly hiss would come out. "Can't walk either?" I shook my head again; in fact my legs were numb. I looked up at him with solemn eyes; I wanted whatever was happening to stop. I could feel every little poke and prod my Uncle did upon me, except when he checked my legs—like I said I couldn't feel them in the slightest right now. My uncle drew blood so his computer could do a total scan. He also did a cat scan, and many x-rays. I stopped vomiting but I did start dry-heaving. About three more teeth fell out while I was there as well. I finally fell asleep after three hours of examination. My uncle set up a hospital bed in his personal sect for me.

* * *

… _(POV Switch—Third Person)…_

* * *

"What have you got so far Dib?" Zoe's mother, Gaz, asked in a demanding tone. Dib removed his gloves and sifted through the papers he collected so far. He wouldn't have the total scan results until tomorrow afternoon. But he had a good inkling on what was happening anyway.

"Her body is changing…like nothing I'd ever seen before," he replied cautiously.

"Changing? Changing how?" Gaz snapped. Yuu, Zoe's father, stood up and looked at his brother-in-law with unease.

"She…she's…uh, I don't know how to explain," Dib stammered nervously. He had pulled his goggles up to his forehead and now wore his normal thick lensed glasses.

"Well you better spit it out now!" his sister threatened harshly. Dib scratched the back of his neck and looked away from the intense gaze she was giving him.

"Uh, come with me Gaz, I, uh, think you should hear this alone," he said with gained confidence. She glared at him for a moment before nodding and stepped forward to follow him.

"What? I'm Zoe's father, I need to know just as much as Gaz does!" Yuu almost shouted.

"Yes…of course, but it's easier to do it…uh, one by one? All right? I'll tell you when I'm done telling Gaz, or she can tell you," Dib explained the best he could. Gaz just walked past her brother and into his office. Yuu huffed but nodded and sat back down. Dib then let out a sigh of relief as he followed his sister and shut the door behind him.

"So what is so important that you needed to tell me without my husband?" she hissed with obvious annoyance. Dib took in another deep inhale.

"She's not human Gaz," he spat, "she's turning into something…something you might not like," he said with a now serious tone. Gaz just stood stunned then quickly narrowed her eyes in an angry glower.

"And that would be?" she growled.

"…I'm not 100% certain right now," he replied with now fading confidence.

"No, you know what it is but you won't tell me," she snapped back.

"I think…I think she's turning into an Irken," he barely whispered. Gaz's gaze faltered slightly but remained angry.

"And why the hell do you think that?"

"Well…uh, you know Zoe is a chimera right?" he inquired with a slightly shaky voice.

"Of course," she sharply replied.

"Well, I wasn't too honest with it…I guess," he anxiously stated, "Zoe has _Tetragametic chimærism_ , it's really, really rare in humans and she's actually the first I've ever encountered with it."

"What does that mean Dib," Gaz hissed strictly.

"It…it uh, means, uh…to put it bluntly…she has two fathers," he quickly got out. Gaz stood there for a moment trying to comprehend what he said. Her eyes then suddenly widened.

" _ **You cannot mean**_..!" she barked and stepped toward her brother menacingly.

* * *

… _(POV Switch—Zoe's POV)…_

* * *

I woke up early to midsection pains, just like the past week, I then rolled over to look at the clock. Eight thirty in the morning. I groaned and buried my face in the large hospital grade pillow. I laid my hands over my head and neck and grunted at the added weight. I hoped Uncle Dib had the results to the scan today; I need to know what the hell is going on. I thought now for sure I was dying. As if to answer my thoughts my Uncle just walked in. He assumed I was sleeping though so he just silently trekked around my bed to fiddle with the machine beside my bed. I abruptly twisted around and face him. He jumped from the sudden movement.

"Good morning Zoe," he greeted me in an anxious manor. That was weird, he was usually real chipper. But I suppose this circumstance was different than normal.

"Morning," I croakily replied. His eyes widened, he must've thought I still couldn't talk but the sleep really helped regain some of my lost energy.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Horrible," I snorted.

"I thought so, any pain at all?"

"Yes,"

"And where..?"

"Everywhere," I spat, my voice cracked and dipped in and out with every word. I wasn't sure if I could form full sentences so my uncle was just going to have to work with one or two word replies.

"Anywhere it hurts the most?"

"Stomach…head," I swallowed in attempt to moisten my dry throat. Uncle Dib nodded and looked to the machine he was messing with.

"That's understandable," he spoke softly again, "it appears you've lost one of your kidneys, your liver, and spleen."

"How am I alive?" I forced out.

"It seems your body is changing, very drastically, and I can't help you," he said with a certain sadness.

"Am I…" I suddenly coughed, "am I gonna die?" I shakily said. My uncle shot me a wide eyed look.

"No! No! Zoe, I just mean…I can't help you," he voiced, "but…we'll be taking you to someone who can."

"Who..?" I barely whispered. My uncle gave me a saddened look, as if he didn't want to say. My mother then walked in, she carried two suitcases—one I recognized as mine and one as her's.

"An old friend, I suppose you can say," he begrudgingly said and took my suitcase from my mother. "We have everything you'll need; we leave within the next hour."

* * *

Suspenseeeee! Well sorta, it's probably obvious who he means. Also the slight introduction of Ask and Ethel, I won't go into them in detail at any point though, they aren't too important.

If there's any errors or contradictions please tell me, sometimes I mix up small details and I will occasionally write the wrong word. Suggestions story wise are welcomed as well ^^


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